Astrynome Marie Angot Lafont was born on the marginal merchanter Lafont's Hope. An old, family-crewed ship. Her family subsisted on low-value goods, a little mining, a chance salvage, an occasional passenger. Astrynome was among the few of her siblings and cousins who showed the promise of making her own way; getting her own ship. Becoming a successful Capsuleer.
By making and selling arts-and-crafts goods dockside during layovers, her partnets somehow save enough to send her to university and begin her career as an independent operator.
Years later, Astronome the Pilot is still opearting on the margin. Below margin. In debt up to her eyes, barely able to feed herself, the math has become clear. Like scrap in a deteriorating orbit, each year she has gotten closer and closer to being consumed. Now she's on borrowed time. Soon - too soon - she'll loose her ship and face a fate worse than death: Living dockside. Forever.
She needs to score, and score big. Fast.